26 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, October 13, 2019 14-man Ireland thrash Samoa to reach World Cup quarter-finals Play-offs leaves Japan and Scotland in shoot-out today for remaining Pool A slot

FUKUOKA: World Player of the Year Johnny Sexton HUGE DIVOTS scored two tries as 14-man Ireland secured a 47-5 In the second half, amid farcical scenes of ground staff bonus-point win over Samoa to reach the Rugby World repairing huge divots that opened up in the newly laid Cup quarter-finals yesterday. Ireland had Bundee Aki turf, Ireland added three more tries and kept Samoa sent off for a high tackle in the first half but they were scoreless. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt had complained still too much for Samoa as they qualified from a tight before the match that the All Blacks would benefit from Pool A despite their shock loss to Japan. the extended break caused by the cancellation of their With Ireland safely through to the play-offs it leaves game against Italy. Japan and Scotland in a straight shoot-out today for the But, there was an advantage too for Ireland who start- remaining Pool A slot. If the game is cancelled because ed with a solid win against Scotland then went off the boil of Typhoon Hagibis, which slammed into Japan yester- against Japan and Russia, and Samoa gave them a chance day, the host team will qualify ahead of Scotland. to get their green machine working smoothly again. Whoever tops the pool will play South Africa in the As forecast strong winds in Fukuoka from the outer quarter-finals while the runner-up will face defending edges of the typhoon did not eventuate, champions , whose final match against Italy and Sexton were able to work on their kicking game to was cancelled because of the typhoon. Ireland were give Ireland a territorial advantage. down to 14 men in the 28th minute when Aki, who is of From there, and James Ryan led an Samoan descent, was sent off for a shoulder to the head emerald tide that bullied their way forward. The opening of Samoan fly-half Ulupano Seuteni. try to came from a lineout drive and Furlong Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said the dismissal was scored the second by charging directly into the Samoan “devastating” for Aki, who faces missing the rest of the defensive wall and emerging on the other side with the tournament. “It’s hard to argue (about the red card) at try line in front of him. the moment but it’s pretty devastating for Bundee,” said Fullback , who was a threat each time Schmidt. he ran with the ball, created the gap which gave Sexton “He knows a lot of the Samoan players really well, I his first try. Jack Lam put Samoa on the board with a try know they’ve got a lot of respect for him and for us it’s a before Sexton scored the vital fourth try right on half- really disappointing finish to the night.” time when Murray went the short side from a five-metre Earlier, Samoa hooker Seilala Lam had been yellow- scrum. carded for a similar high shot, but he had tried to lower It was another blindside move by Murray early in the his point of contact while Aki remained upright and second half that saw Larmour go over in the corner. referee Nic Berry ruled there was “a high degree of When flanker TJ Ioane was sent to the sin-bin for a ruck danger”. infringement, one of 17 penalties conceded by Samoa, Ireland were up 21-5 at the time, but even with a man Ireland mounted a sustained forward-led attack which FUKUOKA: Ireland’s lock catches the ball in a lineout during the Japan 2019 Rugby down they still managed the bonus-point fourth try resulted in a try to backrower CJ Stander before Andrew World Cup Pool A match between Ireland and Samoa at the Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium in Fukuoka yesterday. —AFP before half-time when Sexton scored his second. Conway completed their scoring. —AFP

earthquake and tsunami disaster. Even as the fate of today’s showdown remained Rugby World Cup “We have advised the Namibia and Canada teams of unclear, Japan’s players took to a sodden training field the current situation and potential of cancellation, and in Tokyo — wading through a flooded passageway to warned of fresh our message to fans not currently in Kamaishi is not to get there, widely shared footage showed. travel before confirmation of the match status,” World World Rugby has found itself in the firing line for Wales on trial Rugby said. staging the tournament in Japan, which is prone to cancellation as typhoon The governing body also urged fans to stay inside typhoons and is also in one of the most seismically as Gatland holds and follow any evacuation orders as the typhoon swept active regions on the planet. slams into Japan into Japan’s east coast and over Tokyo. But the governing body rejected a British media “Remain indoors, check typhoon-related updates report that the back-up stadium for England v France back on pet picks TOKYO: Rugby World Cup officials warned that a third regularly and follow the advice of local authorities was in Tokyo, not far away from the original venue in match could be cancelled and urged fans to stay safe as including any evacuation orders and ensure you have Yokohama, and that there were no contingency plans KUMAMOTO: Wales coach is a powerful typhoon slammed into Japan yesterday, basic food provisions,” it warned. for the Japan v Scotland game. billing today’s World Cup match against minnows leaving two people dead. Ireland confirmed their place The venues for today’s four matches — including The report was “categorically untrue”, a World Uruguay as a trial for quarter-final spots after he in the quarter-finals with a 47-5 bonus-point win over Scotland’s crunch clash with Japan — will be inspected Rugby spokesman said. Ireland have been in patchy named a vastly rearranged side following the Samoa — the only game possible as Typhoon Hagibis after the typhoon has passed before deciding whether form at the World Cup but they found their feet against battering it took to overpower Fiji. smashed into the country, causing serious flooding and they can go ahead. Samoa, running in seven tries for the bonus-point win Australia’s 27-8 bonus-point win over Georgia several landslides. The potential cancellation of the Pool A showdown that guarantees their place in the last eight. on Friday means Wales need only a draw against Organisers had already taken the unprecedented has prompted a furious row, with Scotland — who will However, they made life difficult for themselves when the South Americans to secure top spot in Pool D step of scrapping England’s game against France and be eliminated if it is called off — threatening legal inside centre Bundee Aki was sent off in the first half — and a quarter-final against France. New Zealand against Italy on Saturday over the unusu- action. the latest player to be disciplined for a high tackle. In the unlikely event that Uruguay cause an ally large typhoon. They warned Namibia and Canada Ireland’s victory over Samoa means Scotland must Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said the dismissal was upset in Kumamoto, far higher on the Richter of the “potential of cancellation” of their game on beat Japan to have a chance of reaching the quarter- “devastating” for Aki, who faces missing the rest of the scale than their shock win over Fiji, then Wales Sunday in Kamaishi, which was badly hit in the 2011 finals, while the Japanese need at least two points. tournament. —AFP will finish second and play England in the quar- ter-finals leaving Australia to play France. After the bruising Wales took in beating an enthusiastic Fiji 29-17 on Wednesday, Gatland Boxer Fury to make has made 13 changes and put his entire 31-man squad on notice that his preferred run-on side for the play-offs is not yet settled. pro wrestling debut “The message to the players against Uruguay is that the door is not shut,” the New Zealand- in Saudi Arabia born coach said. “There are opportunities for players to go out LAS VEGAS: A pair of pugilistic big men will clash in a there and impress and stake a claim for a quar- cross over of combat sports as former boxing champion ter-final spot.” Tyson Fury fights Braun Strowman in Saudi Arabia later Injured fly-half (head), centre this month. Jonathan Davies (knee) and wing George North Fury will make the brief switch to professional wrestling when he fights on a World Wrestling (ankle) were not considered but wing Josh Entertainment Inc. (WWE) card in Saudi Arabia on Adams, who limped off with a leg knock after October 31. “How honoured I am to be here and be scoring three tries against Fiji, will start again as involved in such a massive event in Saudi Arabia. It’s a will midfield linkman Hadleigh Parkes. fantastic opportunity for me,” Fury said at a news confer- starts in the back row and will ence in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday. captain the side with Alun rested Fury made a ringside appearance at WWE after leading the side through the first three Smackdown last Friday where he was confronted by games. Strowman. Fury, who is preparing for a rematch with “Ideally, we’d have given Josh a rest but that World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Deontay hasn’t been the case. That’s why we’ve gone with Wilder next year, said performing in the WWE has long a six-two split on the bench with the two nines been dream of his. In December, Fury got off the canvas covering. We can cover a number of positions. to earn a draw with Wilder. We can move guys around,” Gatland said. “This is something I’ve always dreamed of. I am life- Rodrigo Silva, who started on the bench for long WWE fan and this is a fantastic opportunity for me,” Uruguay in their historic 30-27 victory over Fiji Fury said. and is again among the replacements against “When I go to Saudi, I am still going to be undefeated, I Wales, said the win over the Pacific islanders was am going to knock Braun Strowman out. He’s meeting a inspirational but it was the way they played guy who has the best hands in boxing. He don’t want none against Australia, despite the 45-10 scoreline, of these hands.” that gave them hope. Strowman said he will have the upper hand when Fury “We played a great first half and we went toe makes his wrestling debut. “Tyson heed my warning. In LAS VEGAS: WWE wrestler Braun Strowman (L) and heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury attend the announcement of their match to toe with a team who are one of the best in the WWE we don’t wear gloves and you are coming into my at a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. —AFP tournament and in the world,” Silva said of the world,” Strowman said. —AFP Australia match. “When these things happen you start to dream and to think that it’s not crazy to think that every Salmiya. The open time we are a little closer.” Table tennis category league will While Typhoon Hagidis has wreaked havoc start tomorrow with with scheduling in the greater Tokyo area - forc- five matches also. ing the cancellation of New Zealand against Italy season begins Table Tennis and England against France — Wales and Samoa Secretary General By Abdellatif Sharaa will face each other in the relatively calm Hisham Al-Arboud Kumamoto on southern Kyushu island. said the league match- KUWAIT: The table tennis 2019-2020 season will es will conclude on Gatland said he was not concerned about be launched today with the participation of 14 weather issues and his Six Nations champions December 4th, then teams in four age categories (under 12, under 15, the cup tournament were “just concentrating on ourselves and hoping under 18 and the open). The start will be with the to finish on top of this group and then start will start during the last week of January, bearing in open category for all stages, then it will be fol- mind students’ school examinations. thinking about the quarter-final”. lowed by the cup and the individuals champi- Al-Arboud said chairman and board members “Hopefully after Sunday we can think about onships, at the Mulla Hassan Al-Kandary School are keen on extending all forms of cooperation with getting down to Oita and preparing for a Sunday Hall in Rumaithiya. all clubs in order to serve table tennis and its ath- game against France. They will be very tough but There will be five matches in the U-12 category, letes. He said “we welcome views and ideas from we have to do a job this Sunday first.” —AFP with Yarmouk v Sulaibkhat, Kheitan v Qadisiya, clubs, officials as we all work towards the develop- Sahel v Nasr, Fahaheel v Burgan and Kuwait v ment of the game.